Journalist of Jang group Assaulted in Punjab

Zafar Aheer, Resident Editor of “Daily Jang” was attacked by unknown armed men while returning home from work on May 31, 2014 in the city of Multan of Punjab province. He was shifted to the hospital and is in stable.

Aheer told Pakistan Press Foundation that he was going home from work when six masked men, riding two motorcycles and a car intercepted him and started beating him. He was hit with gun butts and received serious injuries in his head, shoulders, legs and other parts of the body. Beside beating him and snatching his mobile, attackers also damaged his car, he said.

According to press reports, published in “The News,” which is part of the Jang and Geo media group, Aheer said that the attackers talked of shooting him on the legs and called him a traitor. The reports also said, Aheer had called the senior editor and informed him about the possible suspects involved in the attack.

Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) condemned another attack and called it an attack on free press. They demanded of the government for prompt inquiry of the attack and to bring the culprits to justice.

The All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) strongly condemned the continued acts of vandalism, harassment and intimidation unleashed against the Jang and Geo media house. In après release, APNS noted with concern that the attack on Aheer was a heinous act and was continuation of series of acts meted out to browbeat the Jang Group, including looting and burning of vehicles containing bundles of newspapers and harassment of the employees of Jang Group in different parts of the country.

The APNS press release said it considers such acts aimed at to arm twisting and curbing the press freedom and called upon the democratic forces and the civil society that it is high time to come forward for inculcating democratic norms and tolerance in the society and demand the federal and provincial governments to check this trend and bring the culprits to book.